PM Gillard greets China's new president

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is looking forward to working closely with Xi Jinping and enhancing bilateral relations with China.

Ms Gillard said the Australian government congratulated him on his appointment as President of the People's Republic of China during the current meeting of the National People's Congress.

She said President Xi was well known to Australia.

"And we look forward to working closely with him to deepen and enhance bilateral relations and to strengthen our engagement across a broad range of regional and global issues," she said in a statement.

The prime minister said she and other Australian government leaders looked forward to meeting President Xi and other Chinese leaders at an early opportunity.

Top officials of the world's most populous nation, including Xi himself, took part in a leadership vote at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, taking turns to place red papers into ballot boxes, but the outcome was never in doubt.

The party leadership is the real source of authority in China, but the title of head of state will increase Xi's public and international role.